Camera



May 14, 1935.

A. W. CAPS ET AL CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1931 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOW s m Tw y 935- A.-W. CAPS Er AL 2,001,596

C AMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1931 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 v VENTORS 5 i auzjar roclM mnJ. N. c z flgr 561M TURNEY y 1935- A w. CAPS ET AL 2,001,596

CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1931 15 Sheets-Sheet 3 MM wvags jaulrflandrack WMWi-irel'rA ORNEY May 14, 1935. A. w. CAPS El AL 2,001,596

CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1.931 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,I JV NT 0R5 s Aura/ rockMay 14, 1935.

A. W. CAPS ET AL CAMERA Filed Dec.' 21, 1931 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 TTO NE YMay 14, 1935. A. w. CAPS El AL CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1931 15Sheets-Sheet 7 & WENTORS y l auzlwz fllrocb he, Z1161) A TTO May 14,1935. A. w. cAPs ET AL 2,001,596

CAMERA I Filed Dec. 21, 1951 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 May 14, 1935. A. w. CAPSET AL CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1951 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 Mlafifick mm 4 W'ZZeL r ATTO EY May 14, 1935. A. w. cAPs El AL- CAMERA Filed Dec. 21,1931 15 Sheefi-Sheet 11 May 14, 1935. A. w. cAPs ET AL 2,001,596

CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1931 l5 Sheets-Sheet 12 -15 PQM MrOOZ May 14,1935. A. w. cAPs ET AL 2,001,596

CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1931 15 SheetsSheet l3 INVENTORS W s 4173a EY MRNNM RM W m Ann 8% kwN May 14, 1935. A. w. CAPS ET AL 2,001,596

CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1931 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 73 /161} 1A TTORNE Y lfMay14, 193 5. A. w. CAPS Er AL CAMERA Filed Dec. 21, 1931 15 Sheets-Sheet1s 302 [WW W y flLCZZLZIZdTOCk Elam/v1 1H ZZez'r ATTORNE Y Patented May14, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE N. Y., assignors to Providence, R.Island Photostat Corporation,

1., a corporation of Rhode Application December 21, 1931, Serial No.582,361

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a camera, and more particularly to anautomatic camera so designed that it will take exposures of successivearticles to be photographed, position the articles for ex- 6 posure,remove them after exposure, and replace the exposed sensitized materialby fresh unexposed sensitized material, all automatically and withoutattention of the operator otherwise than to feed the articles to beexposed to the machine.

An object of the invention is the provision of such a machine which islight, compact, simple to operate, and which is generally improved andmore satisfactory than other machines heretofore known.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a machine especiallydesigned and adapted for the rapid reproduction of relatively smallforms such as cards and the like.

Still another object is the provision of. a machine which willautomatically make either one or a plurality of exposures of eacharticle to be photographed, as may be desired.

A further object is the provision of simple and improved means forstacking the cards or other photographed articles after they have beenphotographed.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of varioussimplified and improved details of construction, many of which areapplicable to various'cameras of other types.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings:

4 Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed in accordancewith a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a verticalsection through part of the machine, with parts inelevation, looking at the machine from the same direction as Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken on a plane near the lefthand end of the machine looking toward the right hand end;

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical view somewhat similar to Fig. 3 taken ona plane farther to the right than the plane of Fig. 3, and with partsomitted;

i the line 66 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line l-I ofFig.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation of part of the camera with oneof the lamp housings shown in vertical section;

Fig. 9 is a plan of part of the driving mechanism, with the casingillustrated in horizontal section;

Fig. 10 is an end view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9, viewedfrom the left hand end of the machine which corresponds to the bottom ofthe sheet containing Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a vertical section substantially on the line |l--ll of Fig.9;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the linel2l2 of Fig. 11, showing details of a driving clutch;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the lineI3-l3 of Fig. 11, showing details of a holding clutch;

Fig. 14 is a plan of a part of the machine illustrating especially thecopy conveyor;

Fig. 15 is an elevation of a portion of the conveyor by itself, removedfrom its casing;

Fig. 16 is a plan of a portion of the conveyor on a larger scale;

Fig. 17 is a vertical transverse section through the conveyorsubstantially on the line l'l-ll of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a vertical section through the left hand end of the conveyorillustrating the driving mechanism therefor;

Fig. 19 is a. view similar to a portion of Fig. 18 showing the parts ina different position;

Fig. 20 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 20-20 ofFig. 21, illustrating part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 19, with theparts in the same position as in Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a plan of part of the mechanism i1- lustrated in Figs. 18 to20 inclusive;

Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2222 of Fig.18;

Fig. 23 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2323 of Fig.18;

Fig. 24 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 24-24 ofFig. 18

Fig. 25 is a front elevation of the means for controlling the number ofexposures to be taken of each article;

Fig. 26 is a vertical section through a portion of this controllingmeans, taken substantially on the line 26-26 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 27 is a plan of a portion of the copy conveyor near the right handend of the machine and its associated stacking mechanism;

Fig. 28 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 27 with parts invertical section;

Fig. 29 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 27 viewed fromthe right hand end of the machine, with part of the casing in verticalsection;

Fig. 30 is a fragmentary elevation of part of the mechanism shown inFigs. 27 to 29 inclusive illustrating details on a larger scale, and.

Fig. 31 is a horizontal section through the means for supporting a stackof discharged photographed articles.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the ma chine comprises a mainbody or casing 58 having near its bottom a forward extension 5| runningsubstantially the whole length of the casing, and an upward extension 52near the right hand end of the main casing 50.

The focal plane support, the supply of sensitized material, the shutter,and. the lens are mounted either in or upon the casing portion 52, whichmay be said to constitute the camera proper. The driving mechanism forthe camera is located primarily within the main casing portion 58 andthe forward extension 5|. Above this extension 5| and mounted thereon isa casing 53 containing a copy conveyor for automatically moving thearticles to be photographed into the photographic field of the camera,bringing them to rest in this field while one or more exposures aremade, and then removing them from the field.

It will be most convenient to describe first the parts of the cameraproper. Referring now .especially to Fig. 5 of the drawings, the portion5?. of the casing is provided with a horizontal partition 55 serving asa floor for supporting a roll box 56 insertable in and removable fromthe casing through a rear door 51. The roll box .56 is guided laterallyby suitable guide means, such as the angle irons 58, and it carries aroll 59 of sensitized photographic material such as paper, which may beled from the roll 59 over a guide roller 60 and thence downwardly over afocal plane support, the strip of sensitized material at this pointbeing indicated by the letter P.

The focal plane support, best shown in Figs. 5 to '7 inclusive,comprises a vertical frame member 6| having a large central aperturetherein, to which frame member 6| is secured a supplementary framemember 62 serving to hold a ground glass plate 63 in predeterminedvertical position within the aperture of the frame 6|. The sensitizedmaterial P passes downwardly over the front of the frame 6| and of theground glass plate 63. When the sensitized material and the roll box areremoved from the camera and the rear door 51 is opened, the camera maybe focused by observing the image on the ground glass plate 63.

The frame 6| on its front side is provided with rabbets and with plates64, which together form guideways in which a masking and retaining plane65 is vertically slidable. This plate has a bent over flange 65 at itstop which may be conveniently grasped when a top door 61 of the casingis opened, so that the plate 65 may be removed from its guideways by avertical upward movement or replaced in its guideways by a verticaldownward movement. When in position in its guideways, the plate 65serves to retain the sensitized material P accurately and smoothlyagainst the focal plane support 63, thus maintaining it accurately inthe focal plane.

The plate 65 is provided with an aperture 68 defining the exposure areaof the sensitized material and determining the size of the exposure madethereon, the rest of the material being masked off by the plate 65 whichis preferably of metal or other opaque material. Thus the plate 65prevents stray light from affecting any part of the sensitized material,except that part which it is desired to expose.

After passing over the focal plane support the sensitized materialcontinues downwardly through an aperture 10 in the partition 55 andthrough a short chute H and between two feeding rolls l2 and 13, theformer fixed to a shaft 14 rotatable in bearings fixed in the casing,while the latter is mounted on a shaft 15, the ends of which arerotatably mounted in a pair of up standing arms 16 pivoted at 11 attheir lower ends and urged rearwardly by springs 18 so that the roller13 normally tends to hold the sensitized material firmly against theroller 12. The upper ends of the arm 15 engage in notches in a crossshaft 19 which may be oscillated from outside the casing by a handle(Fig. 2) so that the arms 15 are cammed forwardly to separate the roller13 from roller 12 and allow sensitized material to be inserted betweenthe rollers.

Passing on downwardly beyond the feeding rollers, the exposed sensitizedmaterial is wound up on a rewinding reel mounted in the manner bestshown in Fig. 2. A shaft 88 is mounted in ball bearings 81 and carries apulley 88 having pins 89 projecting from the side thereof. These pinsengage in corresponding recesses in one end of the rewinding reel 85 sothat motion transmitted to the pulley 88 as hereafter described will beimparted to the reel 85 and will cause the sensitized material to bewound up on this reel. The opposite end of the rewinding reel is held ona shaft 90 inwardly urged by a spring 9| into a central aperture in therewinding reel, but which may be pulled rightwardly to release therewinding reel by grasping the external handle 92. When a reel 85becomes filled with exposed sensitized material, it may be removed fromthe machine through a suitable door in the casing and an empty reel maybe substituted for accumulating further exposed material.

The camera front, best illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, and 7, comprises acasing 188 seated in a suitable socket in the front of the camera casing52 and held therein by a fixed overlying holding plate IBI at the righthand side'and a movable overlying holding plate I02 at the left handside. The plate I02 is held in place by screws passing through obliqueslots, as best shown in Fig. 2, so that by lifting upwardly on the plateI02, it will at the same time move outwardly and release the left handedge of the casing HH, so that this casing may be readily detached.

At the front of the casing I0! is a split ring and clamping screw I83for detachably holding a suitable lens and prism unit H14, the prismbeing provided as is usual in commercial cameras for bending light raysthrough substantially a right angle, so that articles to be photographedmay be laid in substantially horizontal position beneath the prism andthe light rays passing upwardly therefrom will be bent to pass throughthe lens and into the camera.

On the front of the casing I00 is a knob I06 fixed to the front end ofthe shaft lll'l which carries at its rear end an arm I08 (Figs. 7 and 8)all) supporting a color filter I09 which may be held in elevatedineffective position by a leaf spring I I0. By oscillating the knob I06in one direction or the other, the color filter I09 can be oscillateddownwardly into an effective position in the optical axis of the camera,or moved upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8 in which the rays oflight do not pass through it.

The shutter of the camera, best shown in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, isofthe flap type, and comprises a ems shaft I I5 rotatably mounted in thecasing, to which is secured the flap I I6 preferably of light material,such as aluminum. The shaft II5 also carries an arm I I1 which isarranged to contact with a limiting stop I I8 of slightly resilientmaterial, such as felt or rubber held in a bracket II9 secured to thewall of the casing 52, to limit the oscillation of the shaft I I5 in acounter-clockwise direction when viewed as in Fig. 5. This arm II1serves also as an operating arm, being engaged on its lower side by theoperating plunger or rod I20, the lower end of which, as shown in Fig.4, is operatively connected to the forward end'of an arm I2I, the rearend of which is pivoted at I22 to the side of the main casing 50. Aspring I23 urges the arm I2I upwardly to lift the plunger I to oscillatethe shaft II5to move the shutter flap II6 to theclosed positionillustrated in Fig. 5. A cam I24, however, best shown in Fig. 4, andoperated as hereafter described, is effective upon a follower roller I25on the arm I2I to depress this arm and the plunger I20 and thus to allowthe shutter flap I I6 to drop by gravity from the closed position shownin Fig. 5 to the open position shown in Figs. 4 and '1. The arm I2I hasupward extensions I26 at each side of the follower roller I25 which lieon each side of the cam I24 and thus limit lateral play of the arm I2 I.

For illuminating the articles to be copied suitable illuminating meansis provided, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 8. At the front of the machineare a pair of brackets I30 each in the form of a substantially verticalplate having a rounded top and each having secured thereto a pin I3Iadapted to fit loosely into a receiving socket I32 on the front of thecamera casing 52. Each of these brackets I30 carries a socket forreceiving an electric light bulb I33. Over each bulb is placed a quicklyremovable protecting and reflecting casing I34 enveloping the bulb I33at'the top and front, but being open at the bottom so that light mayissue through the bottom opening. Each bracket I30 is provided with anupper pin I passing through a hole near the top of the casing I34, andwith a pair of lower pins I36 received in slots at the bottom of easingI34, so that merely by lifting the casing upwardly it may be disengagedand removed from the bracket I30 to permit access to the bulb I33 forreplacement thereof. Similarly, after the bulb has been replaced, thecasing I34 may be readily attached again simply by lowering it so thatthe pins I35 and I36 may be received in their respective hole and slots.The axis of each reflecting and protecting casing I34 is slightlyinclined as illustrated in the drawings so that the light furnished bythe illuminating units will be directed upon the article to bephotographed, diagrammatically illustrated at I31 in Fig. 8.

The driving mechanism for the parts so far described will now beexplained, first referring to Figs. 2 and 3. A suitable source of power,preferably an electric motor I40, is mounted near the front end of a bedplate I, which is preferably of somewhat triangular shape in plan,having a three point support so that it may be readily adjusted andalined. The front or wide end of the bed plate I is supported on twoballs I42 and held down in contact with them by bolts I43, while therear or narrow end of the bed plate is supported by the stud I 44 andmay be adjusted upwardly or downwardly by shifting the nuts I45 and I46.

On this bed plate near the rear end thereof is mounted a worm reductiongear unit I41 driven directly from the motor I40, as shown in Fig. 3,while this reduction gear I41 drives through a chain I48 or othersuitable drive, a shaft I49.

At its left hand end this shaft I49 carries a feeding cam I50, theoperation of which will be hereafter described. The shaft also carries aspur gear I5I, best seen in Fig. 9. meshing with another spur gear I52on a shaft I53 carrying a bevel gear I54 driving another bevel gear I55on a shaft I56 at right angles to the shafts I49 and I53. The shaft I56thus driven from the shaft I49 carries a sprocket I51 over which runs a.chain I58. Fig. 1. for driving the conveying mechanism which will behereafter described.

The shaft I49 also carries a pulley I60 (Figs. 2 and 9) in substantiallythe same plane as the pulley 88 of the rewinding reel 85. A suitablefriction drive, such as the coiled spring belt Iii,- passes over thepulleys I60 and 88, so that rotation of the pulley I60 tends to betransmitted to the rewinding pulley 88, but the coiled spring I6I mayeasily slip over the pulleys whenever the sensitized material isstationary and impedes the rotation of the rew nding reel 85.

The feeding of the sensitized material after each exposure is controlledby the cam I50 above m ntioned. Referring now to Figs. 3 and 10, it willbe seen that this cam I50 acts upon a follower roll I10 mounted on ablock I1I adiustable radially along an arm I12 fixed to a shaft I13. Alag screw I14 threaded into the arm I12 passes through a slot in theblock I1I so that when the screw is loosened the block may be adjustedradially along the arm I12 toward and away from the shaft I13 and whenthe screw I14 is tightened the block "I will be held in adjustedposition.

An adjusting screw I15 is provided for accurate y the follower rollerI10 from the axis of the shaft I13 can be adjusted throu h a limitedrange and thus the extent of oscillation of the shaft I13 at eachactuation by the cam I50 can be varied slightly. in order to adjustaccurately the amount of feeding imparted to the sensitized material ateach cycle of operation.

As best shown in Figs. 9 and 11, the shaft I13 is provided with a springI11 coiled around the shaft, one end of'the spring being fixed to acollar I13 on the shaft and the other end of the spring engaging astationary part of the frame work, so that the spring tends to rotatethe shaft in a clockwise direction when viewed as in Fi s. 3 and 10, andthus holds the follower roller I10 downwardly in engagement with the camI50. but nevertheless permits the shaft I 13 to be oscillated in acounter-clockwise direction by the action of the cam upon the followerroller. This counterclockwise oscillation is transmitted through a oneway d iving clutch I19 (Figs. 11 and 12) to the.

mounted in tapered notches and pressed by springs I83 so as to engagethe internal face of a ring I84 fixed in the housing of the clutch 119.Thus any counter-clockwise rotation of the ring I84 which is fixed torotate with the shaft H3 is transmitted to the hub I8I and causescorresponding counter-clockwise rotation of the gear I80, but when theshaft I'I3 returns in a clockwise direction under the influence of thespring I'I'I, then the rollers I82 will simply move slightly against theaction of their springs I83 so that the clutch slips without causingcorresponding movement of the gear I80.

To prevent any accidental retrograde movement of the gear I80 it isprovided with a second clutch I85 similar in construction to the clutchI19, but the casing of which is non-rotatably secured to the frame workof the mechanism. By means of similar spring pressed rollers in knownmanner the clutch I85 will permit the gear I80 to move in acounter-clockwise direction under the influence of the shaft I13, butwill positively hold it against accidental reverse movement.

Through the mechanism above described, each rotation of the shaft I49and its feeding cam I50 results in a single oscillation of the shaftI'I3, first in a counterclockwise direction as the follower roller I70moves up from the low point to the high point of the cam, and then in aclockwise direction as the follower roller moves down from the high pintto the low point. This oscillation of the shaft I73 is thus translatedinto an intermittent unidirectional movement of the gear I80, whichmoves in a counter-clockwise direction when the shaft is moving in thatdirection, and which remains stationary when the shaft moves in areverse direction.

The gear I80, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 9, meshes with a gear I90 onthe shaft I4 which carries the feeding roller I2. The shaft I4 in turncarries a spur gear I 9| (Fig. 9) meshing with a spur gear I92 on theshaft I5 of the other feed ing roller I3. The gears I9I and I92 are ofthe same proportion relative to each other as the diameters of thefeeding rollers I2 and 13, so that these two rollers will always rotatein synchronism. The gears I80 and I90 are so proportioned relative toeach other that each intermittent movement of the gear I80 will besufficient to rotate the gear I90 enough to move the feed rollers to asufficient extent so that the exposed portion of sensitized material iscompletely moved out of the exposure area and a fresh unexposed portionis drawn into the exposure area of the focal plane. As before stated,the extent of feeding can be minutely adjusted by moving the block IIIon which the follower roller H0 is mounted.

The cam I24 for operating the shutter of the camera is likewise mountedon the shaft I49 above mentioned, on which the feeding cam I50 ismounted. These two cams are so placed relative to each other on theshaft I 49, that the feeding of the sensitized material will take placeonly when the shutter is closed, and the shutter will open only when thefeed rollers are at rest so that a fresh supply of sensitized materialis held stationary in the focal plane.

As previously stated, the present ,mach'ine is provided with conveyormeans within the casing 53 for automatically positioning articles to bephotographed in proper position in the photo-- graphic field of thecamera. This conveying mechanism will now be described referring firstto Figs. 3, 14 to 18 inclusive, and 28. Near each end of the conveyorcasing 53 is a cross shaft, the one near the left hand end beingdesignated by the numeral 200 and the one near the right hand end beingnumbered 20I. Each shaft carries a pair of sprockets 202, all of whichmay be identical in construction. Over these sprockets run a pair ofconveyor chains, each made up of individual links 203 pivoted to eachother by pivot pins 204. The pivot pins of the links preferably aresurrounded by rollers 205. Along the upper stretch or reach of theconveyor, the links slide upon supporting plates 206 so that the upperreach of the conveyor is held perfectly level and in alinement, since itis this reach of the conveyor which holds the articles to be copiedwhile they are being photographed. Each link 203 is provided with a bentover ear or lug 208 extending outwardly substantially horizontally fromthe links, as shown in Figs. 16 and 1'7. Cross members or slats 209extend across the conveyor from one chain to the other and are securedat opposite ends to the ears 208 of the two chains, in any suitablemanner, such as by riveting. These slats 209, preferably of metal, formthe bed or copy receiving surface on which the articles to bephotographed are placed.

The present machine is intended to reproduce photographically a numberof articles preferably of the same size, such as a series of recordcards, index cards, or the like. preferably provided for guiding orpositioning the individual cards or other articles relative to theconveyor so that they will be accurately centered in the photographicfield of the camera when the exposure is being made. in the presentinstance, may comprise lugs 2I0 bent upwardly from certain of the slats209 so that they stand above the plane of the slats and form stops orguides against which the articles to be copied may be positioned. Whenall of the articles are of the same size, such as cards of predetermineddimensions, the lugs 2I0 may be placed at intervals corresponding to oneof the dimensions of the articles. In the specific embodimentillustrated in the drawings, the width of the conveyor is approximatelyequal to the height of an index card of a certain standard size, whilethe distance from the pair of lugs on one slat to the next'cooperatingpair of lugs on another slat is substantially equal to the length of thecard, so that the card will fit snugly between the lugs and thus beproperly alined and centered on the conveyor. Such a card is indicatedat C in Fig. 15.

Preferably there is a slight space between the lugs cooperating with oneend of one card and the lugs cooperating with the adjacent end of thenext card. For example, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15, the lugscooperating with the right hand end of the card C are on one link, whilethe lugs for positioning the adjacent or left hand end of the next cardto the right are on the third link beyond the one just mentioned. Theintervening two slats are preferably entirely omitted from the conveyor,not only making the conveyor lighter than if they were affixed to thechains, but also providing a space or opening for easy access to certainof the pins holding the links of the chains together, so that the pinscan be removed more readily when necessary for replacement or repairs.

The mechanism for driving the conveyor will now be described, referringfirst to Fig. 18 of the drawings. The shaft 200 near the left hand endof the conveyor is provided with a gear 220 mesh- Means is thereforeThis means,

ing with a larger gear 22I which, inturn, is fixed to a small gear 222meshing with a larger gear 223. In this way a relatively slight movementof the gear 223 will rotate the shaft 288 to a considerable extentsuflicient to carry an exposed article out of the photographic field ofthe camera and bring a fresh article to be photographed into thephotographic field.

. The gear 223 is fixed to a shaft 224 (Figs. 18 and 24) which also hasfixed thereto a ratchet 225. Rotatably mounted on the shaft 224 is asleeve 226 having a substantially radial arm 221 to which is secured apawl 228 pivoted at 229 and urged by a spring 238 into engagement withthe ratchet 225. Oscillation of the arm 221 in a clockwise direction,when viewed as in Fig. 18,

will therefore result in corresponding clockwise movement of the ratchet225 and gear 223 and, through the train of gearing previously described,will cause clockwise rotation of the shaft 230 and movement of the copyconveyor in a rightward direction when viewed from the front of themachine as in Figs. 1 and 18. Reverse oscillation of the arm 221 in aleftward direction, however, will not result in any movement of theconveyor, since the pawl 228 will simply slip over the ratchet 225.

For oscillating the arm 221 which carries the pawl 228, there isprovided a roller 235 on a crank 236 (see Figs. 18, 22, and 24) which isfixed i to a shaft 231 having at its rear end a sprocket I 238 overwhich runs the driving chain I58, shown in Fig. 1 and previouslymentioned. Through this chain I58, the constant counter-clockwiserotation of the sprocket I51 is transmittedto the I sprocket 238 andthis causes constant rotation of the crank 236 in a counter-clockwisedirection, when viewed from the front of the machine as in Figs. 1 and18. During each revolution of the crank the roller 235 thereon contactswith and rolls along the under or right hand side of the arm 221 andthus oscillates the arm in a clockwise direction from the position shownin Fig. 18. During this clockwise oscillation of the ,arm the pawl 228thereon engages a tooth of the ratchet 225 to cause correspondingoscillation of this ratchet and of its shaft 224, as above described, sothat the conveyor isdriven rightwardly through a predetermined distance.Continued movement of the crank 236 permits the arm 221 to oscillateback to its initial position shown in Fig. 18, partly by gravity andpartly under the influence of a spring 248 coiled around the sleeve 226,one end of the spring being suitably held at any fixed point and theother end engaging a portion of the arm 221. The parts are preferably sopositioned and proportioned that the complete clockwise oscillation ofthe arm 221 will occur in about one-third of a revolution of the crank236, and during the remaining twothirds of the revolution the arm willbe returning to its initial position or will remain stationary. Thus thedriving of the conveyor will take place only during about one-third of arevolution or cycle of operation, and the camera shutter can remainopen, if necessary, for nearly two-thirds of each cycle of operation.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that each revolution ofthe sprocket 228 and consequent rotation of the crank 236 will cause onecomplete oscillation of the arm 221 and will drive the ratchet 225through a distance of one tooth,

- which will move the conveyor rightwardly through an amount equal tothe spacing of the articles to be copied, so that one article which hasbeen photographed will be removed from the revolution, and the forwardintermittent driving" of the conveyor takes place, of course, while theshutter is closed and while the sensitized material is being fed. Whenthe sensitized material is stationary and the shutter is opened to makean exposure, the copy conveyor is likewise stationary, since at thistime the arm 221 is moving backwardly during the return stroke of itsoscillation and the pawl 228 is passing over the ratchet teeth'225.

,In this way, the conveyor is moved forwardly one step after eachexposure, so that one photograph will be made of each article placed onthe conveyor. In some instances, however, it may be desired to take morethan one photograph of each' article, and the present apparatus is sodesigned that one or several exposures of each article may be made, asdesired.

The mechanism permitting the making of a plurality of exposures of eacharticle may be termed for convenience the duplicating mechanism, and isillustrated in Figs. 18 to 26 inclusive. This duplicating mechanismoperates to prevent forward movement of the conveyor at certain times,so that instead of moving the conveyor one step after each exposure, itwill be moved only after each two exposures if two copies are to be madeof each article, or only after each three exposures if three copies areto be made of each article, and so on. Obviously the mechanism can bedesigned to make any desired number of exposures of each article, andthe present drawings illustrate an embodiment in which two, three, orfour exposures of each article can be made automatically, as well as asingle exposure.

Referring now especially to Figs. 18 and 20, a cross shaft 245 isheld bya suitable bracket 246 secured to the casing 241, which envelops thedrive mechanism for the conveyor. On this shaft are pivotally mounted aplurality of latching levers, three being shown in the present instance,which are designated from front to back, respectively, by the numerals25I, 252, and 253. Each of these latching levers extends both above andbelow its pivot and springs 254, one connected to each lever, tend topull the bottom ends of these levers leftwardly and move the top endsrightwardly when viewed as in Fig. 18.

Each le'ver has near its upper left corner an upper extension 255 whichmay contact with a shaft 256 extending to the front of the casing andprovided with an external knob 251, as shown inFigs. 23 and 25. Thisknob 251 serves as means for rotatingv the shaft 256 from the exteriorof the casing and is provided'with graduations, as shown in Fig. 25,which cooperate with a suitable index mark 258 on the casing to indicatethe relative position of the knob. A portion of the knob 251 may have aplurality of notches 258 cooperating with a spring pressed detent 260,as shown in Figs. 23 and 26,'for frictionally holding the knob in anyone of the plurality of posi-

